With the announcement by Sheriff Ronald W. Rossi he would not seek re-election, two candidates stepped forward seeking the job he has held since 1992.

Allentown Police Sgt. Ed Zucal, a Democrat, is a 24-year veteran of the Allentown Police Department and a 21-year veteran with the Lehigh County Coroner’s Office and Forensics Center.

Zucal, a sergeant in charge of the department’s traffic division, is the department’s hit-and-run investigator.

Joe Hanna, a Republican, is a detective with the Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office.

A former Allentown chief of police, he was responsible for overall command of a 216-member police department, the third largest police department in Pennsylvania.

The Press asked each candidate the following question: What will be your first order of business if elected to office?

Ed Zucal

“My first order of business will be to meet with the upper brass in the office.

“I will concentrate on learning the various duties of each of the individuals within the office.

“As stated in my original plan, I will meet with each employee within the office. I will be asking them to provide ideas they think could change or improve the office for the better.

“I will stress the importance we will be a team and will work together to make it the best sheriff’s office in the country - a place where everyone will want to come to work.”

Joe Hanna

“I will conduct an overall assessment of operations to include personnel duties and deployment, resource allocation and safety measures and make changes where needed.

“I will also examine the current training programs in the areas of active shooter, crisis negotiations and enhanced first aid.

“I will conduct a comprehensive review in the service of process of civil papers, writs, PFA orders and all warrants to determine current efficiency and safety.

“I will review existing written policies, standard operating procedures, and hiring and promotion practices to determine how they align with current best practices and will add and adjust accordingly.”